Fixin’ The Draw

by Nathan Zeno / 15.06.2009

“Fruit n Veg are the new Madonna”, says Loopy, telling me how she’d review her own band. We get to this point just before they perform because I’m really tired and have told her that unless they’re awesome I’m not going be kind. “Listen”, she threatens, “I’m not in a band, I’m in a gang”.

More hobo ska than Zulu punk, Fruit n Veg take the stage with reluctant abandon, as if they’d rather be getting high but since they’re here they might as well rock out. And rock out they proceed to. I have to confess that watching them on Saturday night was one long pleasurable bliss moment. When Purity sings/wails “We don’t give a fuck” it makes me think that everything is okay in the world. I hate gushing but Fruit n Veg make being rebellious look like all the fun it should be. Their music is a real reflection of who they are: they’re not trying to make art, they’re just doing what they do best. This means they make songs about partying hard and hating day jobs. And they do it with a whoop and a giggle.

Truth is, I really don’t remember much of the performance on Saturday. I’d love to honour my threat and diss them publicly, just to see if Loopy’s gang will come after me, but I really got into their skunk and nasty attitude and lost myself in the dancing and drinking of it all. With Fruit n Veg it’s that simple.

I fucking love Fruit and Veg. Like I love Cinnamon and crumpets. And maybe, just maybe, like the thought of smacking Nathan Zeno in the face with my empty beer bottle – you know – the one that he just finished after asking for “a sip”. Nathan, as a writer I actually get on quite well with you, but as a person you just come off as pretending to be playing to a packed out stadium. I’m sure you are a very nice writer.